Shining a Light on an Outer Banks Lighthouse

It stands tall along a dark coast, tall enough to make the 214 steps to the top a necessity. A treasure  amongst the group of outer banks lighthouses Corolla Beaches, when you first see the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, located near the Corolla Beaches,  the sheer majesty of its red brick housing can call to mind the wind-swept history of this North Carolina coast. Back in 1875 when the lighthouse was erected, it was the only outer banks lighthouses guide for ships plying these coastal waters between Cape Henry and Bodie Island. It still sends out its light every night in 20-second intervals, and it sends it from the original first-order Fresnel lens that was installed when it was built.

Situated in historic Corolla Village, near great Corolla Shopping, the view from the top of the lighthouse takes in a panoramic look at Currituck Sound, the village below and the Atlantic Ocean stretching towards the Outer Banks and Corolla beaches. Stories abound of local shipwrecks before the building of the lighthouse, the romance of the lighthouse keepers and the historic Fresnel lens of which this lighthouse houses the largest of the seven varieties that were made.

Outer Banks Lighthouses History

From the first lighthouse keeper in 1876 to the final lighthouse keeper in 1939 when the lighthouse was automated, a colorful crew of outer banks lighthouses keepers and assistants kept it shining through every kind of weather. During World War II horses were kept at the lighthouse to enable the Coast Guard to patrol the local beaches on horseback. During all these years, until 1955, electricity had not made it out to the village of Corolla and so the lights power needed to be recharged periodically even if the lighthouse ran automatically.

Once electricity was available in 1955, the Coast Guard continued to care for the lighthouse grounds and clean the lens until 1963 when Lamplighters, a civilian organization, was founded to take over the care of the historic building. When the Outer Banks Conservationists took over the care of the lighthouse in 1990 one of their earliest actions was to make the building open to the public, as it is today.

That history comes to mind of lighthouse keepers whose footsteps you follow as you make your way up the circular stairwell in the center of the lighthouse. Be sure to stop at the landings where the colorful story of the years of service and history for the lighthouse is displayed. These museum-quality exhibits tell the tale of all the outer banks lighthouses along this rugged coast and how vital they were and still are for ships along the seaboard. With its unpredictable weather and fierce winter storms, these lighthouses were lifelines for many ships coming up and down this coast for over 125 years. Today the outer banks lighthouses continue to be a guiding light both to the ships on the sea and to our hearts for their part in the history of this rugged coast and its people.

Visiting the Lighthouse

Currituck Beach Lighthouse continues to be open to the public and welcomes visitors to its grounds and viewing platform. It opens up its doors from Easter to Thanksgiving and is available for viewing from 9AM to 5PM with special late hours extended to 8PM on Wednesday and Thursday evenings during the summer season from Memorial Day through to Labor Day. A nominal fee of $7.00 per person is charged for those adventurous souls who wish to climb to the top. This fee helps to maintain the building and grounds by the non-profit Outer Banks Conservationists as care is totally covered by this organizations fund raising. Children 7 and under are welcome to come and explore the lighthouse for free as long as they have an adult accompanying them.